Are your thoughts and worship aligned with your goals? When we try to lose weight, we sometimes get caught up in the physical, categories-in, categories-out processes. But losing weight is a mental game. By aligning your thoughts and worship practice with your goals, you can keep the weight off while becoming a better Christian.

The way that we think of ourselves has a profound effect on our actions. When we think of ourselves as people who are addicted to food, or lazy people, we become comfortable in the habits we’ve formed. By recognizing the gifts God has given us, we can live in his purpose.

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[0:00] Introduction

[1:05] Today’s episode is about NEWS, but it will take a different, more spiritual perspective than the previous episode. The “N” in news stands for neurobics, which are activities you can use to exercise the brain; in other words, how you think.

[4:02] Marty tells the story of Victor, a man who was labeled a moron in childhood but was ultimately seen as a genius. Once his genius was recognized, he became an author and became the president of MENSA. What changed was what he told himself.

[9:35] When you take the attitude that “I am all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) and “I am more than a conqueror,” (Romans 8:37) those thoughts also affect how you view yourself.

[14:00] East stands for envision. More than how we think of ourselves, envisioning is about how we see our futures in Christ.

[20:18] How much of yourself can you invest into trying to live a future in Christ when you are drowning in an addiction? What you say and think matters, and envisioning a better future for yourself can help you achieve it.

[22:20] W stands for “why.” Without something to hold you accountable when you face temptation, you still struggle to resist. You “why” is where your dreams meet your discipline.

[26:15] If you don’t know what your why is, you can pray for one. Prayer will help you discover what truly motivates you.

[30:16] S stands for service to others. 1 Peter 4:10-11 reads “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

[34:50] We all have spiritual gifts, and they all work together for God. When we are actively using our gifts for God’s kingdom, it is an extremely powerful feeling.

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book

Do you fully trust in God? It can be difficult to do so. Lots of aspects of our lives are out of our control; we see bad things happen to good people, including ourselves. How do we trust in God when the world feels imperfect, or when we’re struggling? In these moments, shifting our perspectives can help us better understand and trust in God. In today’s episode of Phoenix Chronicles, Jes and Martin discuss trust as it applies to their weight loss and their day-to-day lives.

Martin and Jes begin by explaining how their trust in God has developed throughout their lives and their weight loss. They move into discussing passages that deal with trust in God, and give tips on how you can shift your perspective to better trust in God.

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[0:00] Introduction

[1:10] Today’s episode will focus on trust, which deeply affects our relationship with God and our ability to lose weight. Trusting God can be a challenge when things do not always look the way we want them to.

[5:32] Who do we trust when we look at a new diet? For one, consider what a diet program gains from you being on it. While there are great programs that charge money, these programs should be given additional scrutiny. Phoenix Chronicles is a method Jes and Martin share for free.

[9:32] Proverbs 3:5-6 reads “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Dieting isn’t usually a straight line without the power of God; there are distractions.

[14:23] Psalms 37:5 reads “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do it.” If you put your trust in God, He will reward you.

[21:33] Jes has gone to church for her whole life. In Regen, however, she learned that she did not truly trust God.

[27:59] If God is good and just, then He is perfectly trustworthy. When we doubt God’s goodness, it points to a belief that God punishes us for bad behavior.

[33:44] Jes tells the story of a king who does not believe in the goodness of God. His servant repeatedly told him that God makes no mistakes, and eventually he sees that God understands things beyond his own understanding.

[38:40] If we did not allow our children to experience hardship, they would not be able to take care of themselves in adulthood or grow into good people. God treats us similarly.

[46:49] Isaiah 41:10 reads “So do not fear, for I am with you;do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book

Do you have a pride problem? Better yet, do you know how to identify pride in all of its forms? Pride is more than just thinking you’re better than everyone; in fact, some of the most insecure people have problems with pride. This is because pride can manifest itself in lots of ways, from self-centeredness to people pleasing to complete self-reliance. Learn how to identify your pride, and how to counter it with humility, in this episode of Phoenix Chronicles.

Martin begins by discussing his experiences with pride, a sin that he believes could have killed him twice. Next, Jes explains the insidious ways that pride manifested for her as a refusal to lean on God in her weight loss. Finally, Jes and Martin explain the many ways that pride might manifest in your life, and how service and humility can help you heal.

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[3:05] Today’s episode is about pride, which hits close to home for Martin because his pride almost killed him. He wanted to prove that he could lose all of his weight on his own. On two occasions, Martin could have died from his weight.

[6:20] Proverbs 16:18 says “Pride goes before destruction, the haughty spirit before a fall.” In Samuel 17, Goliath’s pride led him to defy the armies of Israel, and thus defy the God of Israel. Ultimately, he was defeated.

[13:29] As Martin gained weight, he noticed himself start to turn his head back when he watched TV more and more to avoid seeing his body. Eventually, his diabetes diagnosis humbled him.

[18:31] Like most challenges, you deal with pride by making a plan. You make a roadmap, and that roadmap involves dieting and nutrition as well as worship and prayer.

[23:21] Driving used to be a minefield for Martin because of the constant opportunities to get fast food in secret. He believes this is a common problem, but once you let God transform your mind, you will no longer feel that temptation constantly.

[27:02] Jes’s pride was difficult for her to identify because it did not manifest as her thinking she was better than everyone else. Instead, it manifested as a form of self protection.

[33:03] While Jes’s program for eating disorder recovery helped her learn some coping strategies, it also left her acting from a place of pride. She learned to put herself first instead of God.

[36:35] Pride can also manifest as fear. Jes would rather fail at her own hand than trust in God, which came from a place of pride.

[38:15] Pride can show up as arrogance, boasting, self-centeredness, people pleasing, envy, refusing advice, and more. Pride is everywhere, and it can show up in small ways, but it has a way of growing.

[40:13] The opposite of pride is humility. Humility is not about thinking less of yourself, but about thinking of yourself less. It is also about service to others.

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book

Have you found the best diet for your body? In today’s episode of Phoenix Chronicles, Martin and Jess discuss diets — the ones that work, the ones that don’t, and how to find the best diet for your body. Additionally, Jess and Martin explain how the Bible ties into dieting and recommend resources that have helped them through their journeys.

Jess and Martin start by discussing the obesity code and how US government policy has coincided with rises in obesity rates. They move into giving examples of diets that work, and explaining which diets work for them and why. Finally, Jess explains how we can use worship and prayer to help us stick to our diets.

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[1:04] Today’s episode is about the nutrition plans that have worked for Jes and Martin, based on their own experiences.

[2:31] Martin read The Obesity Code by Jason Fung. He found that obesity increased Type 2 Diabetes, and started to look for a cure to obesity.

[5:55] In 1977, the government began recommending a high carbohydrate diet, which ultimately increased obesity rates in America.

[9:40] By 1992, the Food Pyramid was created based on recommendations from the American Heart Association. Again, the obesity rate increased.

[15:40] Next, Martin breaks down the three main weight loss methods: ketosis, or burning fat for energy, calorie counting, and fasting. Some doctors recommend fasting for as many as seven days a year for cancer prevention.

[20:21] It is crucial to work worship, prayer, and Bible reading into your day. This allows you to draw on His strength in your weight loss journey.

[25:00] Jess points out the importance of tailoring your diet to your body over following generic recommendations because each of us will do better on different types of diets. For example, Jess looked into research that was relevant to her as someone with PCOS.

[31:04] Jess uses the app EWG Health to find products that contain clean ingredients.

[33:25] The Bible tells us that God gave us His spirit of self control. It emphasizes the concept of fasting and feasting.

[35:08] Jess recommends two Barbara O’Neill Books: Self Heal by Design and Sustain Me.

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book

Read Self Heal by Design: https://www.amazon.com/Design-Micro-Organisms-Health-Barbara-ONeill-ebook/dp/B06XSPWFXN

Read Sustain Me: https://barbaraoneill.com/products/sustain-me-by-barbara-o-neill?srsltid=AfmBOop4tzADBLMcT7Rgc7Wx5JptWkrPWQgfNJfE9uRERSdI_4afIXEa

Do you have community? We live in a world that increasingly does not require community — you can buy just about everything online, and you can do everything from working to visiting the doctor remotely. However, God created us to have community. In today’s episode of Phoenix Chronicles, Martin and Jes discuss community — what it is, how to find it, and why it is crucial for lasting weight loss.

Martin starts by describing his experience with weight loss before he found community. He found himself very isolated, particularly around the holidays. It took Jes time to find the right community for her, but once she did, it made all the difference.

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[1:40] Today’s episode is about losing the weight, and more importantly, keeping it off. When we white-knuckle through diets, it can be easy to slip back into old habits.

[5:10] Last episode, we talked about obedience. Having a team of people around you who are also obedient, and who encourage your obedience, can help you stick to your diet.

[7:51] Martin struggled to stick to his diet before he found community. Other than his wife, he handled his weight loss completely on his own, and struggled to do so.

[11:20] Martin found himself feeling more alone and isolated during the holidays. He struggled to resist temptation around the holidays and found himself in an uphill battle.

[14:57] Beyond surrendering to God, Martin recommends forming a community with God. Through prayer, Martin was able to draw on God’s willpower to stay on his diet.

[20:48] Jes spoke about the community she found in her Regeneration group last episode. The program goes through a twelve-step process to help participants find strength in their faith.

[25:00] The sense of community Jes found in her Regen group will be with her for life. Her “stepsisters” help her accountable, and were willing to risk alienating her to point her back to God.

[28:45] How do you find community? Jes recommends starting at church, and going “church-shopping” until you find a place that feels like home. You can also join groups like book clubs.

[32:58] From Ecclesiastes 4:9-12: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book

Jess is back and in the final stages of recovery from bariatric bypass surgery. Her journey to eventually decide to get the surgery was a difficult one as she struggled to determine what being obedient to God looked like in her decision. In this episode, Jess and Martin discuss and compare their weight loss surgeries and recovery and how obedience played into their decision to get surgery.

Jess begins by reflecting on her decision to get surgery and how obedience to God looked in that decision. Her and Martin move into discussing their surgeries - they both had bariatric bypass surgery, but took very different approaches to it. Finally, Martin and Jess discuss obedience as it applies to the family, to every day life, and to weight loss.

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[1:23] Jess is returning from bariatric bypass surgery, a decision she made after many years of consideration. This is the same procedure that Martin had.

[4:09] When Jess first considered the surgery, she struggled with an internal doubt that she couldn’t get past despite support from her family and friends.

[8:17] As Jess was considering whether the surgery was right for her, she attended a Regeneration group at her church. Finally, she was able to hear a “yes” from God. Her journey toward obedience reminds her of the story of Shadrach Meschach and Abendago in Daniel 3:3.

[16:11] Martin’s wife does all of his clothes shopping, and even lays out clothes for him some days. He could view this as a kind of obedience, but he also views it as a form of love. Being obedient to God is similar - it is an act of love.

[19:03] Losing weight required obedience for Martin. By being obedient to God through prayer, worship, and reading God’s word, he was able to stay consistent in his diet and exercise.

[22:18] After her surgery, Jess slowly moved from a liquid diet to a strict soft food diet. She is still yet to get into her final phase of eating. Martin’s post-surgery diet restriction was to “eat whatever you can.”

[26:33] We’re inherently wired to be our own masters. Jess has struggled with balancing her independence with obedience.

[29:04] Romans 5:19 says “for just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” We don’t know how our obedience or disobedience affects the people around us, but we know that it does.

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book

Today’s episode is about giants. We all face giants in our day-to-day life, whether they’re people or obstacles like losing weight. In this episode of Phoenix Chronicles, Martin speaks with his pastor Robert Upshaw about his story and the giants he overcame. Robert lost his wife suddenly due to a rare cancer, and found himself binge eating for comfort. He explains how he put his life back together — and how you can too.

Robert begins by detailing his wife’s sudden diagnosis and decline, and how her death led to his faith weakening. He explains how he was able to pick up the pieces by turning to God, and how you can overcome giants in your day-to-day life.

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[1:54] Martin introduces Robert Upshaw, his pastor and special guest on today’s episode. Robert was one of Martin’s first connections at his church.

[3:22] Robert details the story of his wife Yolanda’s anaplastic thyroid cancer diagnosis. The doctors estimated that she had about six months to live.

[9:25] Yolanda’s doctors told Robert that there was nothing else they could do for her. They explained Yolanda’s prognosis to their children, and Yolanda told them that she wanted Robert to move on.

[12:32] Following Yolanda’s death, Robert became a single parent, which he was not prepared for. He became less present and began binge eating for comfort.

[15:34] One of the first things Robert did once he realized he had a problem was repenting. From there, he was able to start the process of healing.

[17:59] Robert faced a giant back in high school when he played a game against Shaquille O’Neal, which he lost. We face giants every day, but when we keep our eyes on them we can make them bigger than they are.

[20:17] God tells us that He is always there for the brokenhearted and that all things are possible through him. God is bigger than our giants, and with His strength we can overcome them.

[25:17] Martin tells the story of Mandy, a waitress he met recently who is working on turning her life over to God.

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book

There’s two sides to every story, and today’s guest is bringing in a new perspective on Martin’s weight loss journey - Lori, Martin’s wife. They discuss how Martin became dependent on food, the many efforts he took to lose weight, and his realization that God was the ultimate source of willpower. As always, Martin and Lori discuss the importance of faith in your weight loss journey, and give tips to help you follow along.

Starting by discussing the progression of their relationship from when they met through Martin’s weight gain and loss, Martin and Lori discuss how asking for God’s strength in weight loss changed Martin’s mind and improved his relationships.

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[2:14] Martin was always very gregarious and outgoing. Lori fell in love with his humor and kindness, but overtime found that she was walking on eggshells around his health.

[8:00] As Lori and Martin started their family, they found that Martin’s lifestyle was affecting the activities they were able to do and rubbing off on Jess.

[11:22] By turning to God for weight loss help two years ago, Martin was able to turn his life around and take back his health.

[16:31] Lori wants to give other loved ones members of people struggling with their weight hope for their relationship.

[20:03] Throughout her marriage, Lori prayed for Martin to be happy and present again. She tells listeners not to give up.

[26:09] Martin and Lori both came from relatively healthy homes, but Martin made unhealthy decisions. He takes responsibility for the decisions that got him to the weight he reached.

[31:07] You can build a relationship with God today by praying for God’s help, worshipping, and spending time with scripture.

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book